Mac mini may have had the final nail put it its coffin

Two European retailers have allegedly been told by Apple that Mac minis are no …

The Mac mini hasn't seen any update love for over a year, though several improvements have been made to Apple's other machines. According to a report at Gizmodo, Apple is either updating the long-ignored pint-sized Mac or setting it out on a small iceberg and floating it out to sea.

Apparently two "major European retailers" have discovered that Mac minis are no longer available to order. Furthermore, both confirmed to Gizmodo that they were told by Apple to "expect no more of it." Though it is the least expensive Mac available, starting at $599, it has also been the poorest in sales. From the way Apple put it, it could be letting go of the Mac mini.

On the other hand, rumors earlier in the year suggested that a revision was in the works. With updated, 45nm processors, the single-chip NVIDIA 9400M, and 802.11n the Mac mini could still be a serious contender, especially where price or small footprint are important considerations. Pair it with the 24" LED Cinema Display, though, and you may as well buy the 24" iMac. And, we have already heard word that those will be refreshed shortly as well.

The Mac mini has certainly filled a lot of niches as a media center, POS system, or compact office computer. So, despite the low sales, it would be sad to see it go. Perhaps its demise, however, will fuel further calls for a lower-priced, compact tower—dare I say, xMac?